The U.S. has 21 military bases in Germany, including Ramstein Air Force Base in Kaiserslautern, Germany. It is NATO’s (National Atlantic Treaty organization) central base for units and trainings as well as the headquarters for United States Air force operation in Europe. The Ramstein Air Base has a large housing community for troops including several hundred single family homes maintained. They also cater 11,000 available properties for rent in the surrounding communities where serviceman can take advantage of the overseas housing allowance. It is called the “little America” because of the 50,000 U.S. personnel living in the area.
Others include Spangdahlem Air Base, home to the 52nd Fighter Wing, and USAG Baumholder currently hosting the largest amount of US forces outside of the United States of America, with over 13000 individuals.
The Trump administration wanted to downsize the U.S. troop presence in Germany, but the Biden administration does not agree and froze the downsizing early this year. SecDef Austin actually increased the current number of troops, 35,000 by 500 additional in April.
The Army will retain Barton Barracks, Ansbach, Germany; Pulaski Barracks, Kaiserslautern, Germany; Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, Germany; Weilimdorf Warehouse, Stuttgart, Germany; Amelia Earhart Center, Wiesbaden, Germany and Daumerie Caserne, Benelux, Belgium. One German base, Husterhoeh Kaserne in Pirmasens, will transfer to the Air Force, the release said with Army Times reporting. .
The controversial issue began after WWII, with an actual polltaker:
: Do you think the policing of Europe after the war should be left largely to the English and Russians or should we keep as many men in Germany and other enemy countries as the English and Russians do?
______ Left to English and Russian
______ As many as English and Russians
______ Don’t know
To keep the troops prevailed.
What happened:
WE STAYED!
At the conclusion of the war, Berlin was occupied by the Soviet Army and was later divided into spheres of interest between the Soviet Union, England, France and the United States. Eastern Europe, including after 1949 Eastern Germany (German Democratic Republic), was occupied by the Soviet Union while the United States occupied Western Germany (Federal Republic of Germany). The emerging problem at the conclusion of the war was the bitter rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. After years of fighting and allied bombing, Europe laid in total destruction. The war had produced two super powers: the United States, supporters of capitalism and democracy, and the Soviet Union supporters of Communism. As Europe laid in total destruction and communists thrived on promising a better way of life, the U.S. feared the continent was ripe for a communist takeover. Not only did the U.S. maintain a military presence in Europe, we also led the rebuilding of Europe through the Marshall Plan as a way to prevent the spread of communist ideology.
At the conclusion of World War II, the total U.S. Army strength in Europe was almost 1.9 million, a number that was brought down to 79,000 by 1949. As the Cold War heated up that very year so did the buildup of American forces in Europe. By 1952 there were over 257,000 military personnel stationed throughout Europe. At the height of the Cold War in 1962 when the Berlin Wall went up, more than 400,000 U.S. forces were stationed across 100 communities on the European continent. That force was slashed by two-thirds after the Berlin Wall fell, to an average of 109,452 troops per year during 1996 and 2000.
